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Hospices in four Maryland counties have agreed to switch to a community-based model to expand their services. The hospices will coordinate care with other health practitioners and facilities, including nursing homes and senior living communities, to help people receive appropriate care and a smooth transition to hospice.

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School nutrition professionals from two Maryland districts recently participated in a culinary boot camp intended to help them boost their skills and confidence. Stew Eidel, of the state Department of Education's Office of School and Community Nutrition Programs, said the program helps staff learn to focus on "food quality from the time it is procured to the time it is served to the child and every step in between."

The Maryland Senate Finance Committee is considering a bill that would give Kent County commissioners approval power over Apex Clean Energy's Mills Branch Wind farm. The commissioners said that they are not opposed to renewable energy projects, but should have the power to make their own decisions. Apex's wind farm might not be the right choice for the area, they added.

Overall enrollment has declined at Maryland's community colleges and independent institutions, according to data from the state's annual enrollment survey. State officials say an improving economy may be behind the enrollment dip. Meanwhile, enrollment increased at some public four-year institutions after federal regulations required schools to count students enrolled overseas.

Maryland state employees and retirees will have to take part in a wellness program or face a $50 annual penalty starting next year. The requirement also applies to covered spouses. The change is expected to save Maryland $4 billion over a decade, according to Anne Timmons, director of state employee benefits.

Maryland farmers gathered this month to learn how new drone technology can aid agriculture, especially in monitoring crop conditions remotely. "If you're not paying attention to all this stuff, then you're a lost ball in tall weeds," said Wesley Brown, a grain and soybean farmer from Talbot County who attended the event hosted by University of Maryland Extension and Wye Research Center in Queen Anne's County.